Storia do Mogor 181: Sambha Ji, under Pretext of an Embassy, tries to assassinate the viceroy.
Storia do Mogor (Irvine) 181
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Sambha Ji, under Pretext of an Embassy, tries to assassinate the viceroy.
181.1
But let us now return to Sambha Ji. He had missed his blow when he fought the viceroy, for if he had only occupied the river bank, it would have been easy for him to slaughter everybody, and equally easy to take Goa. All the same, he did not despair of success in his attempt; for, after the defeat of the viceroy, he took possession of the lands of Salcette (Salsette) and Bardes, between which lies the island of Goa, and after stiff fighting, tried to disembark men on the island [of Goa]. But the Portuguese resisted valiantly, above all the Augustinian fathers, who were at a crossing against which Sambha Ji made his principal efforts. Thus, finding he had not carried out what he wanted to do, and seeing that by force [210] of arms he should not conquer, he adopted the way customary in Hindustan — that of deceit. He therefore made Akbar act as mediator and send in a letter to the viceroy. In it he said that, being on the point of leaving for Persia, as a friend of both sides, he wanted to restore peace and amity between Sambha Jī and the Portuguese. With this object would they send a trusty person capable of dealing with such a negotiation? He would bring it to a conclusion to the satisfaction of both parties.
181.2
The viceroy selected me for this business. On my side I recognised that I was a foreigner, so I took along with me one priest and one layman, both Portuguese, to bear testimony to my acts and words. I made declaration to the viceroy that they would never conduct me to Akbar, but to Sambha Jī instead. I questioned the viceroy as to what I should do in that case. He said to me that under no circumstances did he wish me to approach Sambha Jī. With this point determined on, I quitted Goa. Hardly had I arrived within Sambha Jī's country when they wanted to carry me to him and not to Akbar. Thereupon I declared that I would not go, that I would sooner lose my head than act against the orders I had received. Akbar learnt this, and dispatched Durga Dās, as representing his person during the negotiation with Sambha Jī. On these conditions I, too, attended, or else they would have carried me there by force. We reached the presence of Sambha Jī, who received me with great politeness. During the conversation he made bitter complaint of the viceroy's declaring war against him in spite of the King of Portugal's orders. The king had ordered him to maintain peace with his neighbours. Many other things against the viceroy did he say to me during this talk. It was on this occasion he told me that with his own sword he had decapitated his chief captains, owing to their disaffection. He showed me the sword.
181.3
Finally, he gave me my leave to go, adding that, seeing the viceroy would not send him an envoy, he meant to be the first and send one to him, and so let him see how much he desired to uphold peace with the Portuguese. Taking one of his officers by the hand, he said to me: 'This is the man I mean to send; he is the key of my treasure-house.' Then, laying hold of my hand also, he made the man over to me, and said he was doing him (the viceroy) much honour, for the man was his chief favourite. He sent me away, handing me two handkerchiefs of gold thread, and in the evening the envoy came to visit me. He set forth [211] his pretensions, which were that he should land in the isle with one thousand, or at the least five hundred, men as his guard, taking also seven horses (as he said) to show his rank. We hammered away for a long time at this subject, he beseeching me earnestly to secure this honourable treatment for him from the viceroy. But I displayed total indifference, saying it lay with the viceroy to concede to him or not what he asked; at the same time I would lay his requests before His Excellency. But horses were not necessary, the fortress being quite near, nor could the horses climb to it.
181.4
The reader must be made aware here of what the envoy's intentions were. The first was to get with this large number of men into Goa, where there was not a large enough garrison to defend all the posts. Coming, thus attended, to pay his court to the viceroy, it would be very easy to carry out their object. For they would enter with the fixed intention of assassinating the viceroy, and consequently would come wearing concealed chain-mail. Having succeeded, some of them would jump on the horses, and, careering about, would strike terror into the inhabitants, and throw everything into disorder. Thus Sambha Jī would have time to land his force without any difficulty and capture defenceless Goa.
181.5
I returned to Goa and reported to the viceroy what was going on, and of the probable intentions of Sambha Jī. For the time being he should not, I thought, give audience in the royal hall, but in the fortress of Dangi (Dangim), which was quite close to the sea. Strong guards should be posted so as to hinder the envoy from carrying out his plans. Although there was some difficulty in doing what I said, nevertheless, acknowledging that I had some acquaintance with the tricks of people in Hindustan, the viceroy did as I advised. Thus I went back to tell the ambassador that he might come. I took with me no more than three boats, so that too many people might not come. But so many crowded in that our boat was in great danger of going to the bottom. I complained to the envoy of this carelessness, and he grew angry ; for he saw that with so small a number he would not be able to carry out his project. He wanted to give up coming. But, encouraging him, I brought him to the above-mentioned fortress. Matters were disposed in such a way that not more than seven persons were able to enter with him. These were received by the viceroy with great pomp.
181.6
The envoy's design was unmasked during the audience [212] ; for he made no statement about terms of peace, stating that his coming was for nothing more than to know if the Portuguese gentlemen really desired to make peace or not, and whether they would pay tribute to his prince. The viceroy replied that he wanted peace, but would not pay any tribute. The envoy answered that he would take this reply to his prince, and then took his leave, far from well-contented, not having been able to make himself a name by a piece of treachery (i.e., assassination) ; for amongst them this mode of going to work is proof of great valour.
181.7
Although peace negotiations were going on, there was no suspension of arms ; for continuously Sambha Ji went on fighting at Goa with great vigour. In the course of these contests, as there were not many troops in the island, there was reason to fear that Sambha Ji might land his soldiers there. The viceroy therefore sought someone who would go to the Mogul fleet, then off Vingorla, to request the admiral to sail with his ships till he was within sight of Goa. Thus some fear would be instilled into Sambha Ji's men then in Salsette and Bardes. But the principal thing was to get some one who would consent to go. For all they could do, they could not find any person willing to take upon himself to risk his life for the public benefit. Then, knowing the heartiness with which I had laboured to the utmost of my power, he asked me if I would perform this benefit on behalf of a city which found itself in such a sorry plight.
181.8
I gave a favourable reply, and, as I was leaving Goa, Dom Rodrigo da Costa, in command of the fleet, declared that I was on my way to destruction. God was pleased to show the care He had over my person, for one morning in the dark I found myself with my boat in the midst of thirty-seven galliotes belonging to Sambha Ji. As soon as we discovered that the fleet was not that of the Moguls, but of Sambha Ji, we were very apprehensive, and already the master of the vessel and several seamen wanted to jump into the sea. But I laid hold of my matchlock and frightened them, saying that the first who moved was a dead man. If they set to work to row with all their strength, I would give them five hundred xerafins (asharfi, a gold coin) on arrival in Goa. This was in addition to several pieces of gold that I distributed among them on the spot. As the man who guided the helm was very skilful, we feigned to be part of that fleet until we had forged ahead of all the galliotes. Then, putting on a spurt, we drew away from our enemies, who began a chase in the hope of capturing us.
181.9
Keeping on our course, we arrived at the Mogul fleet, and I carried out my instructions. But the commander replied that he could not come away from Vingorla for fear that Prince Akbar might escape. Thus it turned out that I had put my life in danger without doing any good. Nevertheless, I went back to Goa by another route, and there I reported the Mogul fleet to be already on its way to give assistance against Sambha Ji. This I did that all might recover heart and resolution and continue the war with greater courage.